


Lost in Translation

by aurumdalseni (kyo_chan)



Series: Voltron Ficlets [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, I love that that's a real tag here, PTSD, Shiro (Voltron) Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 19:51:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10578324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyo_chan/pseuds/aurumdalseni
Summary: Shiro takes it upon himself to be the ambassador for a peace talk mission. It's a pity he's working off of what Alteans remember from ten thousand years ago. It doesn't go as well as it should, and Shiro finds himself on the other side of a cell door.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Microstory prompt from my [Voltron tumblr](http://paladinpuppypile.tumblr.com) \- Shiro and a mission gone wrong. Hope you enjoy!

Shiro makes a mental note to have a stern discussion with Allura and Coran to brush up on their intergalactic social cues and colloquialisms. He doesn’t even know what he’s said or done wrong, everything happened so fast. The duchess’s guards are strong, and in the interest of not completely messing up this alliance talk, Shiro goes as peacefully as possible down to the dungeon. He can feel the bruises forming, and his heart is still racing. He’s been stripped of all his tech, so he doesn’t even have the nano-translator clip that had been on his tunic. Everything around him sounds garbled and, well, alien. The fear that had started to coil in his chest slowly expands against his ribs, weighing on his lungs. It takes everything in him not to fight, feels so  _ wrong _ to willingly step into the cell, all the while trying hard to draw up some basic and universal plea for them to  _ listen _ .

And then they’re gone. Just Shiro alone in a dark cell. With his memories.

He paces first, his mental rambling half a rant to the Alteans and the other half telling himself to calm down and ride this out. The others are supposed to be observing, so no doubt they knew when things had gone awry. They’ll come for him, they always do. Isn’t that funny? Some leader he is, always needing to be rescued. If he’s not injured, he’s gone or he’s the unlucky bastard who says the wrong thing during a peace talk and winds up in alien jail. No, that’s definitely not helping at all, and his own brain isn’t paying attention to his futile attempts to keep calm. He has to get out, there has to be a way out. His perspective shifts, his right arm warm and glowing gently as he starts to look around. He’s gotta...he’s gotta get out before the next one. Before anyone comes back down -- Shiro, they’re coming back for you -- they’re coming, they’re…

Frantic, Shiro is taken back to another time, another place. It’s darker, all purples and greens here, with constant noise. Someone is always moaning or begging or trying to bargain their way out of the prison hold before they’re forced to die in the arena. He’s so tired. And hungry. There are wounds on his body that aren’t healing right, he can feel them burn, and god forbid those hack medics do any sort of real medical treatment. If he doesn’t die in the ring, he’s probably going to die of some extra-terrestrial disease. But no, he can’t die until he finds the Holts again. He can’t do this again, he can’t, he--

“Shiro!” 

Pidge’s voice cuts through the memory, and Shiro’s world tilts back into focus. When did he end up on the ground? His back is against the wall, head in his hands. He jumps to his feet, hoping he has some composure left as the cell door opens. More of that alien language is being spoken just beyond his vision, somewhere behind Pidge, but he recognizes it as Allura’s voice. Pidge hurries over to him, holding his nano translator in one hand. She tries to offer it to him, but he instead reaches for her, yanking her against his chest and breathing heavily into her hair. It’s finally familiar, he finally feels safe. Pidge freezes for a moment, but then eases into his embrace, letting him take his strength from her. She carefully reaches up and clips the translator to his collar, but he doesn’t need it to understand her.

“Don’t worry, it’s all fixed now.”

“Shiro!” Allura steps in next with the duchess’s head ambassador. “I’m  _ so _ sorry.”

Shiro licks his too-dry lips and takes a slow breath. “We’re going to have a talk later.” His smile doesn’t reach his eyes.


End file.
